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"But th?~sailor flung himself flat on the ledge and grasped a rifle. "Be still, on your life!" he said. ^.Squeeze into your corner. There is a Dyak on the opposite cliff." True enough, a man had climbed to that unhappily placed rocky table stud wasf shouting something to a con? frere high on the cliff over their heads. As yet he had not seen them nor even noticed the place where they were con? cealed. The sailor imagined from the Dyak's gestures that he was commu? nicating the uselessness of further search on the western part of the is? land. When the conversation ceased he boped the loud voiced savage would descend. "But "no! "The "scout looked into tile valley, at the well, the house,, ^the. ..cave. Still he did not. see the ledge. At that unlucky moment three birds, driven from the trees on the crest by the passage of the Dyaks, flew down the face of the cliff and be? gan a circling quest for some safe perch on which to alight . Jenks swore with an emphasis not the less earnest because ft was mute and*took stoady aim at the Dyak's left breast The birds fluttered about in ever smaller circles. Then one of them dropped easily on to the lip of the rock. Instantly his bright eyes encoun? tered those of the man, and he darted off with a scream that brought his mates after him. The Dy ak evidently noted the behav? ior,of the birds-nis only lore was the steading of such signs-and gazed in? tently at the ledge. Jenks he could sot distinguish' behind the screen of grass. He might perhaps see some portion of the tarpaulin covering the stores, but at the distance it must re? semble a weather beaten segment of the cliff. Yet something puzzled him. - After a steady scrutiny he turned and roiled to others on the beach. The crucial moment had arrived. 3^nks pressed the trigger, and the Dvak hurtled through the air, falling j headlong out of sight The sound of this, the first shot of j real warfare, awoke Rainbow island j into tremendous activity. The winged j Me of the place .filled the air with ran- ? ?ocas cries, while shouting Dyaks scur? vy ed ta all directions. Several came in- ? to the valley. Those nearest the fallen ??aG picked him up and carried him to Xhe weil. He was quite dead, and, al? though amid his other injuries they soon found the bullet wound, they evi <&ently did not know whence the shot came, for those to whom he shouted liad no inkling of his motive, and the slight haze from the rifle was instantly .?wept away by the breeze, f iris could hear the turmoil beneath, and she tremulously asked: ?"Are they going to attack us?" **Not yet" vras the reassuring an? swer. "I killed the fellow who saw us before he could tell the others." It was a bold risk, and he had taken it though now the Dyaks knew for certain their prey had not escaped there was no prospect of their speedy departure. Nevertheless the position .was not utterly hopeless. None of the criemy could tell how or by whom their companion had been shot Many smong the excited horde jabbering be? neath actually looked at the cliff over and over again, yet failed to note the potentialities of the lodge, with its few tufts of grass growing where seeds had apparently been blown by the wind or dropped by passing birds. Jenks understood, of course, that the rea] danger would arise when they vis? ited the scene of their comrade's dis? aster. Even then the wavering bal? ance of chance might cast the issue in Ms favor. He could only wait, with ready rifle, with the light of battle lowering in his eyes. Of one thing at least he was certain-before they con? quered him he would levy a terrible toll. He glanced back at Iris. Her faco .?ras pale beneath its ma?k of sun broTrn. 'The chief was listening intently to the story of the Dyak who saw the dead man totter and fall. He gave ?orne quick order. Followed by a score or more of his men. he walked rapidly to the foot of the cliiT where they found the lifeless body. Jenks stole one more hasty glance at Iris. The chief and the greater num? ber of his tallowers were out of sight behind the rocks. Some of them must now be climbing to that fatal ledge. Was this the end? Iris bent forward sufficiently in her sheltering niche to permit her to gaze ?with wistful tenderness upon .Tonks. She knew he would dare all for her sake. She could only pray and hope. Suddenly a clamor of discordant yells fell upon her ears. Jenks rose to his knees. The Dyaks had discovered their refuge and were about to open fire. He offered them a target lest perchance Eris wee not thoroughly screened. **Feep close," he said. "They have found us. Lead will be flying around soon." She flinched back into the crevice; the sailor fell prone. Four bullets spat into the ledge, of which three pierced the tarpaulin and one flattened itself against the rock. Then Jenks took up the tale. So cu ri?ssly constituted was this man that, I By LOUIS TRACY ?|?>J Copyright. 1905, by g^'/rl Edward J. Clode .V?:"::. 1 The Dy ak hurtled through the air. although he ruthlessly shot the savage who first spied out their retreat, he was swayed only by the dictates of stern, necessity. There was a feeble chance that further bloodshed might be averted. That chance had passed. Very welL The enemy must start the dreadful game about to be played. They had thrown the gage, and he an? swered them. Four times did Jenks' rifle carry death, unseen, almost un? felt, across the valley. Ere the fourth Dyak collapsed limply widere be stood others were there, firing at the little puff of smoke above tie grass. They got in a few shots, most of which sprayed at various angles off the face of the cliff. But they waited for no more. When the lever of the Lee-Metford was shoved home for the fifth time the opposing crest was bare of all opponents save two, and they lay motionless. v ? The fate of the flanking detachment was either unperceived or unheeded by the Dyaks left in the vicinity of the house and well. Astounded by the fir? ing that burst forth in midair, Jenks had cleared the dangerous rock before they realized that here, above their heads, were* the white man and the maid whom they sought With stupid zeal they blazed away furiously, only succeeding in shower? ing fragments of splintered stone into the eagle's nest And the sailor smiled. He quietly picked up an old coat rolled it into a ball and pushed it into sight amidst the grass. Then he squirmed round on his stomach and took up a position ten feet away. Of course those who still carried loaded guns discharg? ed them at the bundle of rags, where? upon Jenks thrust his rifle beyond the edge of the rock and leaned over. Three Dyaks fell before the remainder made up their minds to run. Once con? vinced, however, that running was good for their health,, they moved with much celerity. The remaining cartridges in the magazine slackened the pace of two of their number. Jenks dropped the empty weapon and seized another. He stood up now and sent a quick remind? er after the rearmost pirate. Thc oth? ers had disappeared toward the locality where their leader and his diminished troop were gathered, not daring to Again come within range of the whis? tling dumdums. The sailor, holding his riHe as though pheasant shooting, beni forward and sought a belated oppo? nent but in vain. There was no sound save the wailing of birds, the soft sough of the sea and the yelling of the three wound ed men in the house, who knew not what terrors threatened and vainly bawled for succor. Ag :In Je:s:s could look at Iris. Her face was bleeding. The sight madden? ed him. "ATJ God!" he groaned. "Are yoi wDuude??" Vue smiled bravely at him. "It is nothing/' she said -"a mere splash' from the rock which cut my forehead." Ile dared not go to her. He could ou'y hore that it was no worse, so he turned to examine the valley once more for vestige of a living foe. CHAPTER XII. nrpn HOUGH his eyes, like live coals, j j j glowered with sullen fire at the S I j strip of sand and the rocks in front, his troubled brain paid perfunctory heed to his task. The stern sense of duty, the ingrained force of long years of military discipline and Soldierly thought, compelled him to keen watch and ward over his fortress, but he <-ould not help asking himself what wouid happen it' Iris were seriously wounded. There was one enemy more potent than these skulking Dyaks, a foe more irresistible in his might, more pitiless in his strength, whose assaults would tax to the utmost v-v-'"~-' of re? sistance. In tni?wo. t-srrr the sun would be high in the heavens, pouring bis ardent rays upon them and drying the blood in their veins. . Hitherto the active life of the island, the shade of trees, hut or cave. 1 power of unrestricted movement a the possession of water in any desii quantity robbed the tropical heat the day of its chief terrors. Now was changed. Instead of worki amid grateful foliage they were bou to the brown rock, which soon WOT glow with radiated energy and gi off scorching gusts like unto the op< ing of a furnace door. This he had foreseen all along. T tarpaulin would yield them some < gree of uneasy protection, and th both were in perfect physical con tlon. But-if Iris were wounded! the extra strain brought fever in wake! That way he saw nothing t blank despair, to be ended for her .delirium and merciful death, for h by a Berserk nish among the Dya and one last mad fight against* ov< whelming numbers. Then the girl's voice reached hi: self reliant, almost cheerful: "You will be glad to hear that t cut has stopped bleeding. It is on a scratch." So a kindly Providence had spar? them yet a little while. The cloi passed from his mind, the gatherh mist from his eyes. In that instant 1 thought he detected a slight rustlii among the trees where the cliff shel ed up from the house. Standing as i was on the edge of the rock, this was point he could not guard against When her welcome assurance reca ed his scattered senses he stepp( back to speak to her, and in the san instant a couple of bullets crash< against the rock overhead. Iris hi unwittingly saved him from a seriou perhaps fatal, wound. He sprang to the extreme right < the ledge and boldly looked into tl trees beneath. Two Dyaks were ther belated wanderers cut off from tl main body. They dived headlong in1 the undergrowth for safety, but OE of them was too late. Jenks* rifl reached him, and its reverberating coi cussion, tossed back and forth by th echoing rocks, drowned his partin scream. In the plenitude of restored vigor th sailor waited for no counter demor stratton." He turned and crouchingl approached the southern end of hi parapet Through his screen of gras he could discern the long black hal and yellow face of a man who lay o: the sand and twisted his head aroun* the base of the farther cliff. The dis tance, oft measured, was ninety yards the target practically a six inch bulls eye. Jenks took careful aim, fired, am a whiff of sand flew up. Perhaps he had used too fine a sigh and plowed a furrow beneath the Dy ak's ear. He only heard a faint yell but the enterprising head vanished, am there were no more volunteers for tha particular service. He was still peering at the plac< when a cry of unmitigated anguisl came from Iris: "Oh, come quick! Our water! Th( casks have burst!" It was not until Jenks had torn th? tarpaulin from off their stores and h< Was wildly striving with both hands tc scoop up some precious drops collected in the small hollows of the ledge thai he realized the full magnitude of the disaster which had befallen them. During the first rapid exchange of fire before the enemy vacated the clifi several bullets had pierced the tarpau? lin. By a stroke of exceeding bad for? tune two of them had struck each of the water barrels and started the staves. The contents quietly ebbed away beneath the broad sheet and; flowing inward by reason, of the sharp slope of the ledge, percolated through the fault Iris and he, notwithstanding their frenzied efforts, were not able to save more than a pint of gritty discol? ored fluid. The rest infinitely more valuable to them than all the diamonds of De Beers, was now oozing through the natural channel cut by centuries of storm, dripping upon the headless skel? eton in the cave, soaking down to the very heart of their buried treasure. Jenks was so paralyzed by this ca? tastrophe that Iris became alarmed. As yet she did not grasp its awful sig? nificance. That he, her hero, so brave, so conf dent in the face of many dan? gers, should betray such sense of irre? deemable loss frightened her much more than the incident itself. Her lips whitened. Her words be? came incoherent "Tell- me." she whispered. "I can bear anything but silence. Tell me, I implore you. Is it so bad?" - The sight of her distress sobered him. Ile ground his teeth together as a man does who submits to a painful operation aud resolves not to flinch be? neath the knife. "It is very bsd.'* he said: "not quite the end, but near it." "Xhc end." she bravely answered, "is death! We are living and uninjured. You must fight on. If the Lord wills ic we shall not die." He looked in her blue eyes and saw there the light of heaven. Her glance did not droop before his. In such mo? ments heart speaks to heart without concealment "We still have a little water," she cried. "Fortunately we are not thirsty. You have not forgotten our suppl}' of champagne and brandy?" Ile could only fall in with her unre? flective mood and leave the dreadful truth to its own evil time, lu their lit? tle nook the power of the sun had not yet made itself felt. By ordinary com? putation it was about !) o'clock. Long before noon they would be grilling. Throughout the next few hours th?}* must suffer the torture of Dives with one meager pint of water to share be iween them. Of course the wine and spirit must be shunned like a pesti? lence. To touch either under such con? ditions would be courting heat, apo i plexy and death. And next day! lb' tightened his jaws before he an swered: "Wc will console ourselves with a bot- | tie of champagne for dinner. Mean- ; while I Jiear _our friends shouting to ?nxo left 0:1 Ulis s'.Z? bf the islam! "I must tillie an active interest in the conversation.*' He grasped a rifle and lay down OD the ledge, already gratefully warm. There was a good deal of sustained shouting going on. Jenks thought he recognized the chief's voice giving in? structions to those who had come from . Smugglers' cove and were now standing on the beach' near the quarry. "I wonder if he is hungry." he thought. "If so, I will interfere with the commissariat." Iris peeped forth at him. "Mr. Jenks!" "Yes," without turning bis head. He knew it was an ordinary question. "May I come too?" "What expose yourself on the ledger' "Yes, even that. I am so tired of sitting here alone." "Well, there is no danger at present But they might chance to see you, and you remember what I" "Yes, I remember quite well. If that Is all"- There was a rustle of gar? ments. "I am very mannish in appear? ance. If you promise; not to look at me I will join you." "I promise." Iris stepped forth. She was flushed a little, and, to cover her confusion, maybe, she picked up a rifle. "Now there are two guns," she said as she stood near him. He could see through the tail of his eye that a slight but elegantly pro? portioned young gentleman of the sea? faring profession had suddenly appear? ed from nowhere. He was glad she had taken this course. It might better the position were the Dyaks to see her thus. "The moment I tell you you must fall flat" he warned ber. "No ceremony about it Just flop!" "I don't know anything better cal? culated to make one liop than a bullet" she laughed. Not y<?t did the tragedy of the broken kegs appeal to her. "Yes, but it achieves its purpose in two ways. I want you to adopt the precautionary methoi." "Trust me for that. Good gracious!" The sailor's rifle went off with an unexpected bang that froze the excla? mation on her lips. Three Dyaks were attempting to run the gantlet to their beleaguered comrades. They carried a jar and two wicker baskets. He with the jar fell and broke it. The others doubled back like hares, and the first man dragged himselif after them Jenks did not fire again. . Tris watched the wounded wretch crawling along the ground. Her eyes Hie sailor's rifle went off with an unex? pected lang. grew moist and she paled somewhat. When he vanished ste looked into the valley and at the opposing ledge: three men lay dead within twenty yards of her. Two others dangled from the rocks. It took her some time to con? trol her quavering utterance sufficient? ly to say: "I hope I may not have io use a gun. I know it cannot be helped, but if I were to kill a human being I do not think I would ever' rest again." . "In that case I have indeed murdered sleep today," was the unfeeling reply. "No. no! A man must be made of sterner stuff. We have a right to de? fend ourselves. If need be. I will exer? cise that right. Still, it is horrid, oh. so horrid!" She could not see the sailor's grim smile. It would materially affect his rest for the better ?'vere he able Lo slay every Dyak on the island with a single shot. Yet her gentle protest pleased him. She could not at the same time be callous to human suffer? ing and be Iris. But he declined the discussion of such sectiments. "You were going to say something when a brief disturbance took place," he inquired. "Yes. I was surprised to find how hot the ledge has become." "You notice it more because you are obliged to remain here." After a pause she said: "I think I understand now why you were so upset by the loss of our wa? ter supply. Before the day ends we will be in great strains, enduring ago? nies from thirst!" "Let us not meet the devil halfway," he rejoined. Ile preferred the unfair retort to a confession which could only foster dismay. "But please, I am tl irsty now.". ITO BE CONTINUED.] Tile Cynic. "Lot me seo, a cynic is a man who ls tired of the world, is he not?" the young student of language asked. "No, no, my child." replied thc know? ing tutor. "A cynic- is a may of whom the world is tired,"-Pick-Me-Up. Fouad a Cure for Dyspepsia. Mrs. S. Lindsay, of Fort William Onta? rio, Canada, who has suffered quite a num Ker of years from dyspepsia and great p.iiiis <n t e stomach, was advisbd by her druggist to take Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets. She did so, and say-, "I find that thry have done oe a great d.val of iiood. I have never had any suf? fer.n< since ? began nsing them." If j troubled with dyspepsia or indigestion I why not take these tablets, get weli and { stay well ? For sale by all druggists. B^nnettsville, June 2.- Mrs. John Gorman wasjkilled by lightning inner house near Clio yesterday afternoon. 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